Heat transferring module and manufacturing method thereof

ABSTRACT

A heat transferring module includes a first conductor plate, a second conductor plate, a working fluid and a reinforcing layer. The second conductor plate is connected to the first conductor plate to form a cavity. The working fluid is located in the cavity. The reinforcing layer is formed on an outer surface of at least one of the first conductor plate and the second conductor plate, wherein at least one of the first conductor plate and the second conductor plate has a capillary structure. The capillary structure is located on an inner surface of at least one of the first conductor plate and the second conductor plate, and a structural strength of the reinforcing layer is greater than a structural strength of the first conductor plate and a structural strength of the second conductor plate. In addition, a manufacturing method of a heat transferring module is also provided.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisionalapplication Ser. No. 62/744,655, filed on Oct. 12, 2018. The entirety ofthe above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated byreference herein and made a part of this specification.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The application relates to a heat transferring device and moreparticularly, to a heat transferring module.

Description of Related Art

In recent years, along with development of the technology industry,information products, such as notebook computers, tablet computers,mobile phones, or other electronic devices, have been widely used indaily life. Electronic devices are diverse in their styles andfunctions, and the convenience and the usefulness enable the popularityof those electronic devices. A central processing unit (CPU), aprocessing chip, or other electronic elements are disposed in anelectronic device, and heat is generated during the operation of theelectronic elements. However, as a volume of the electronic device isreduced, the electronic elements are disposed more and more densely, sothat an issue of heat accumulation inside the electronic device becomesmore and more difficult to handle and usually causes a crash to theelectronic device due to heat. Thus, improvement of heat dissipationbecomes more and more important.

Currently, a maximum thickness of an ordinary vapor chamber is about 1mm or more and not applicable to a miniaturized electronic device. In apreferred condition, the miniaturized electronic device requires a thinvapor chamber with a maximum thickness less than 0.5 mm therein side.However, a material currently adopted by the vapor chamber is copper, atitanium alloy or aluminum. However, it may result in insufficientstructural strength in a scenario that copper or aluminum is used as thematerial, while an issue of high cost may occur in a scenario that thetitanium alloy is used as the material.

SUMMARY

The application provides a heat dissipation module, capable of improvingstructural rigidity.

The application provides a heat transferring module, including a firstconductor plate, a second conductor plate, a working fluid and areinforcing layer. The second conductor plate is connected to the firstconductor plate to form a cavity. The working fluid is located in thecavity. The reinforcing layer is formed on an outer surface of at leastone of the first conductor plate and the second conductor plate, whereinat least one of the first conductor plate and the second conductor platehas a capillary structure. The capillary structure is located on aninner surface of at least one of the first conductor plate and thesecond conductor plate, and a structural strength of the reinforcinglayer is greater than a structural strength of the first conductor plateand a structural strength of the second conductor plate.

The application further provides a manufacturing method of a heattransferring module, including steps of providing a first conductorplate and a second conductor plate; etching at least one of the firstconductor plate and the second conductor plate to form a capillarystructure; combining the first conductor plate and the second conductorplate to form a cavity; forming a reinforcing layer on an outer surfaceof at least one of the first conductor plate and the second conductorplate, wherein a structural strength of the reinforcing layer is greaterthan a structural strength of at least one of the first conductor plateand the second conductor plate; and vacuuming the cavity and providing aworking fluid to the cavity.

To sum up, in the heat transferring module and the manufacturing methodthereof provided by the application. The reinforcing layer having thestructural strength greater than that of each of the first conductorplate and the second conductor plate is formed on the outer surface ofat least one of the first conductor plate and the second conductorplate. Thus, when the first conductor plate and the second conductorplate are combined together, a preferable heat transfer effect canbrought by the capillary structure, and a preferable structuralstability can be brought by the reinforcing layer.

To make the above features and advantages of the invention morecomprehensible, embodiments accompanied with drawings are described indetail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram illustrating a heattransferring module according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram illustrating a heattransferring module according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3A to FIG. 3E are respectively schematic cross-sectional diagramsillustrating a manufacturing process of the heat transferring moduledepicted in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating steps of a manufacturing method of aheat transferring module according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating steps of a manufacturing method of aheat transferring module according to another embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating steps of a manufacturing method of aheat transferring module according to another embodiment of theinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram illustrating a heattransferring module according to an embodiment of the invention.Referring to FIG. 1, the present embodiment provides a heat transferringmodule 100 adapted to contact a heating element and transfer heatgenerated by the heating element to a heat dissipation element, such asa fan or heat dissipation fins, or to outside by means of heatconduction, so as to achieve a heat dissipation effect. For instance,the heat transferring module 100 is a thin vapor chamber with a maximumthickness T, for example, less than or equal to 0.5 mm. The heatingelement is, for example, a central processing unit, a processor chip orother heat generating electronic elements of a portable electronicdevice (e.g., a smart cell phone). The heat transferring module 100transfers the heat by means of heat convection and transfers the heat bymeans of heat conduction. Thus, the heat generated by the heatingelement may be transferred to a heat dissipation element such as a fanor heat dissipation fins or to outside by means of heat convection andheat conduction, so as to achieve a heat dissipation effect. Fordescriptive convenience, a size of the heat transferring module 100 ismerely schematically illustrated in FIG. 1 and does not represent anactual size ratio of the heat transferring module 100.

In the present embodiment, the heat transferring module 100 includes afirst conductor plate 110, a second conductor plate 120, a working fluidF and a reinforcing layer 130. The first conductor plate 110 and thesecond conductor plate 120 are connected to each other to form a cavityG, and the working fluid F is located in the cavity. A thickness of thefirst conductor plate 110 ranges between 0.1 mm and 0.4 mm, and athickness of the second conductor plate ranges between 0.1 mm and 0.4mm. In the present embodiment, the thickness of the first conductorplate 110 is 0.4 mm, and the thickness of the first conductor plate 110is 0.1 mm. In the present embodiment, a material of the first conductorplate 110 and the second conductor plate 120 includes a copper alloy.However, in other embodiments, a material of at least one of the firstconductor plate 110 and the second conductor plate 120 is selected froma group consisting of copper, aluminum and titanium, but the applicationis not limited thereto. A shape of at least one of the first conductorplate 110 and the second conductor plate 120 may be formed by stampingdesign, so as to form the cavity G after the first conductor plate 110and the second conductor plate 120 are combined. In the presentembodiment, a method of connecting the first conductor plate 110 and thesecond conductor plate 120 to each other is, for example, welding, butthe application is not limited thereto.

To be detailed, at least one of the first conductor plate 110 and thesecond conductor plate 120 has a capillary structure P, and thiscapillary structure P is located on an inner surface of at least one ofthe first conductor plate 110 and the second conductor plate 120. Forexample, in the present embodiment, the thickness of the first conductorplate 110 is greater than the thickness of the second conductor plate120, and thus, the first conductor plate 110 may be designed with thecapillary structure P, as illustrated in FIG. 1. In the presentembodiment, the capillary structure P is formed by, for example, etchinga plate body of a conductor plate to form a micro structure capable ofgenerating a capillarity phenomenon. The working fluid F may becondensed from a gas into a liquid by the capillary structure P, so asto achieve a purpose of heat transfer.

Specifically, during the process of heat dissipation, the heat of theheating element is transferred to the heat transferring module 100, andthe working fluid F which is more adjacent to the heating element isheated and evaporated into a gas which flows upward and fills up theentire cavity G. When the evaporated working fluid F flows to a locationwhich is relatively far away from the heating element, as this locationhas a relatively low temperature, the working fluid F, after exchangingheat with another medium (e.g., the capillary structure P, the firstconductor plate 110, the second conductor plate 120 or cool air) andbeing condensed into a liquid, flows back by the capillarity phenomenonof the first conductor plate 110 and the second conductor plate 120. Theevaporation and condensation operations are repeatedly performed insidethe cavity G. Thus, the heat transferring module 100 may dissipate theheat generated by the heating element to other media.

The reinforcing layer 130 is formed on an outer surface of at least oneof the first conductor plate 110 and the second conductor plate 120, anda structural strength of the reinforcing layer 130 is greater than astructural strength of the first conductor plate 110 and a structuralstrength of the second conductor plate 120. Thus, the structuralstrength of at least one of the first conductor plate 110 and the secondconductor plate 120 may be improved, such that the thickness of at leastone of the first conductor plate 110 and the second conductor plate 120may be reduced for being used in manufacturing a thin vapor chamber.

To be detailed, a material of the reinforcing layer 130 includes atungsten-nickel alloy or a nickel-cobalt alloy, and, in the presentembodiment, the reinforcing layer 130 is formed on the outer surface ofthe second conductor plate 120 by means of electroplating. In otherwords, the reinforcing layer 130 is an electroplated reinforcing layer.In this way, the structural strength of the second conductor plate 120may be further improved. It is to be mentioned that in the heattransferring module 100, two conductor plates which respectively includea thick one and a thin one may be selected to serve as the firstconductor plate 110 and the second conductor plate 120, the thickerconductor plate is etched to form the capillary structure P, and thethinner conductor plate is electroplated to form the reinforcing layer130. The relative thickness and the manufacturing process of each of thefirst conductor plate 110 and the second conductor plate 120 are notlimited in the application. In this way, when the first conductor plate110 and the second conductor plate 120 are combined together, apreferable heat transfer effect may be brought by the capillarystructure P, and a preferable structural stability may be brought by thereinforcing layer 130.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram illustrating a heattransferring module according to another embodiment of the invention.Referring to FIG. 2, a heat transferring module 100A of the presentembodiment is similar to the heat transferring module 100 illustrated inFIG. 1. The difference therebetween is as follows. In the presentembodiment, a second conductor plate 120A also has the capillarystructure P, and the reinforcing layer 130 is formed on the outersurface of each of a first conductor plate 110A and the second conductorplate 120A. For descriptive convenience, a size of the heat transferringmodule 100A is merely schematically illustrated in FIG. 2 and does notrepresent an actual size ratio of the heat transferring module 100A.

To be detailed, in the present embodiment, each of the first conductorplate 110A and the second conductor plate 120A has a thickness of 0.25mm, and the first conductor plate 110A and the second conductor plate120A are respectively etched to form a first capillary structure P1 anda second capillary structure P2. In other words, the first capillarystructure P1 is formed by a part of the first conductor plate 110A, andthe second capillary structure P2 is formed by a part of the secondconductor plate 120A. The reinforcing layer 130 includes a firstreinforcing layer 130_1 and a second reinforcing layer 130_2. The firstreinforcing layer 130_1 is formed on an outer surface of the firstconductor plate 100A, and the second reinforcing layer 130_2 is formedon an outer surface of the second conductor plate 120A. Thus, when thefirst conductor plate 110A and the second conductor plate 120A arecombined, a preferable heat transfer effect may be brought by the firstcapillary structure P1 and the second capillary structure P2, and apreferable structural stability may be brought by the first capillarystructure P1 and the second capillary structure P2.

FIG. 3A to FIG. 3E are respectively schematic cross-sectional diagramsillustrating a manufacturing process of the heat transferring moduledepicted in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating steps of amanufacturing method of a heat transferring module according to anembodiment of the invention. Referring first to FIG. 2, FIG. 3A and FIG.4 simultaneously, the application provides a manufacturing method of aheat transferring module, and the manufacturing method may be at leastapplied to the heat transferring module 100A illustrated in FIG. 2.However, the application is not limited thereto. In the presentembodiment, first, step S200 is performed, the first conductor plate110A and the second conductor plate 120A are provided, wherein shapesthe first conductor plate 110A and the second conductor plate 120A maybe formed by stamping design.

Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 3B and FIG. 4 simultaneously, then, step S201is performed. At least one of the first conductor plate 110A and thesecond conductor plate 120A is etched to form the capillary structure P.Specifically, in the present embodiment, the first conductor plate 110Ais etched to form the first capillary structure P1, and the secondconductor plate 120A is etched to form the second capillary structureP2.

Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 3C and FIG. 4 simultaneously, then, step S202is performed. The first conductor plate 110A and the second conductorplate 120A are combined to form the cavity G. Specifically, in thepresent embodiment, the first conductor plate 110A and the secondconductor plate 120A are combined by means of welding, so as to form thecavity G inside the location that is welded.

Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 3D and FIG. 4 simultaneously, then, step S203is performed. The reinforcing layer 130 is formed on an outer surface ofat least one of the first conductor plate 110A and the second conductorplate 120A, wherein the structural strength of the reinforcing layer 130is greater than that of at least one of the first conductor plate 110Aand the second conductor plate 120A. Specifically, in the presentembodiment, the first reinforcing layer 130_1 is formed on the outersurface of the first conductor plate 110A by means of electroplating,and the second reinforcing layer 130_2 is formed on the outer surface ofthe second conductor plate 120A by means of electroplating.

Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 3E and FIG. 4 simultaneously, then, step S204is performed. The cavity G is vacuumed, and the working fluid F isprovided to the cavity G. Specifically, in the present embodiment, thevacuuming may be performed via a reserved through hole (not shown) onthe first conductor plate 110A or the second conductor plate 120A, theworking fluid F is provided into the cavity G after the vacuuming, andfinally, the through hole is sealed by means of welding. Thereby, theheat transferring module 100A may be formed.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating steps of a manufacturing method of aheat transferring module according to another embodiment of theinvention. Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 5, the manufacturing method ofthe heat transferring module may be at least applied to the heattransferring module 100A illustrated in FIG. 2. However, the applicationis not limited thereto. A manufacturing method of the heat transferringmodule 100A of the present embodiment is similar to the manufacturingmethod of the heat transferring module illustrated in FIG. 4. Thedifference therebetween is as follows. In the present embodiment, stepS203 is performed after step S201 of etching to form the capillarystructure P is performed. The reinforcing layer 130 is formed on theouter surface of at least one of the first conductor plate 110A and thesecond conductor plate 120A, wherein the structural strength of thereinforcing layer 130 is greater than that of at least one of the firstconductor plate 110A and the second conductor plate 120A. Then, afterthe aforementioned steps are completed, step S202 is performed, whereinthe first conductor plate 110A and the second conductor plate 120A arecombined to form the cavity G. In other words, among the aforementionedsteps, the steps of etching to form the capillary structure P, formingthe reinforcing layer 130 and combining the first conductor plate 110Aand the second conductor plate 120A are performed in sequence. Thus, theembodiments may have different manufacturing processes to be adapted tostructural requirements.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating steps of a manufacturing method of aheat transferring module according to another embodiment of theinvention. Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 6, the manufacturing method ofthe heat transferring module may be at least applied to the heattransferring module 100A illustrated in FIG. 2. However, the applicationis not limited thereto. A manufacturing method of the heat transferringmodule 100A of the present embodiment is similar to the manufacturingmethod of the heat transferring module illustrated in FIG. 4. Thedifference therebetween is as follows. In the present embodiment, stepS203 is performed after step S200 of providing the first conductor plate110A and the second conductor plate 120A is performed, wherein thereinforcing layer 130 is formed on the outer surface of at least one ofthe first conductor plate 110A and the second conductor plate 120A,wherein the structural strength of the reinforcing layer 130 is greaterthan that of at least one of the first conductor plate 110A and thesecond conductor plate 120A. Then, after the aforementioned steps arecompleted, step S201 is performed, where at least one of the firstconductor plate 110A and the second conductor plate 120A is etched toform the capillary structure P. Then, after the aforementioned steps arecompleted, step S202 is performed, where the first conductor plate 110Aand the second conductor plate 120A are combined to form the cavity G.In other words, among the aforementioned steps, the steps of forming thereinforcing layer 130, etching to form the capillary structure P andcombining the first conductor plate 110A and the second conductor plate120A are performed in sequence. Thus, the embodiments may have differentmanufacturing processes to be adapted to structural requirements.

In view of the foregoing, in the heat transferring module and themanufacturing method thereof provided by the application, thereinforcing layer having the structural strength greater than that ofeach of the first conductor plate and the second conductor plate isformed on the outer surface of at least one of the first conductor plateand the second conductor plate. Thus, when the first conductor plate andthe second conductor plate are combined together, a preferable heattransfer effect can brought by the capillary structure, and a preferablestructural stability can be brought by the reinforcing layer.

Although the invention has been described with reference to the aboveembodiments, the invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Itis apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that modifications andvariations to the described embodiments may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope ofthe invention will be defined by the attached claims. What is claimedis:

1. A heat transferring module, comprising: a first conductor plate; asecond conductor plate, connected to the first conductor plate to form acavity; a working fluid, located in the cavity; and a reinforcing layer,formed on an outer surface of at least one of the first conductor plateand the second conductor plate, wherein at least one of the firstconductor plate and the second conductor plate has a capillarystructure, the capillary structure is located on an inner surface of theat least one of the first conductor plate and the second conductorplate, and a structural strength of the reinforcing layer is greaterthan a structural strength of the first conductor plate and a structuralstrength of the second conductor plate.
 2. The heat transferring moduleaccording to claim 1, wherein a material of the first insulating layercomprises a tungsten-nickel alloy or a nickel-cobalt alloy.
 3. The heattransferring module according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing layeris an electroplated reinforcing layer.
 4. The heat transferring moduleaccording to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing layer comprises a firstreinforcing layer and a second reinforcing layer, the first reinforcinglayer is formed on the outer surface of the first conductor plate, andthe second reinforcing layer is formed on the outer surface of thesecond conductor plate.
 5. The heat transferring module according toclaim 1, wherein a material of at least one of the first conductor plateand the second conductor plate is selected from a group consisting ofcopper, aluminum and titanium.
 6. The heat transferring module accordingto claim 1, wherein a maximum thickness of the heat transferring moduleis less than or equal to 0.5 mm.
 7. The heat transferring moduleaccording to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the first conductor plateranges between 0.1 mm and 0.4 mm, and a thickness of the secondconductor plate ranges between 0.1 mm and 0.4 mm.
 8. The heattransferring module according to claim 1, wherein the capillarystructure comprises a first capillary structure and a second capillarystructure, the first capillary structure is formed by a part of thefirst conductor plate, and the second capillary structure is formed by apart of the second conductor plate.
 9. A manufacturing method of a heattransferring module, comprising: providing a first conductor plate and asecond conductor plate; etching at least one of the first conductorplate and the second conductor plate to form a capillary structure;combining the first conductor plate and the second conductor plate toform a cavity; forming a reinforcing layer on an outer surface of atleast one of the first conductor plate and the second conductor plate,wherein a structural strength of the reinforcing layer is greater thanthat of at least one of the first conductor plate and the secondconductor plate; and vacuuming the cavity and providing a working fluidto the cavity.
 10. The manufacturing method of the heat transferringmodule according to claim 9, wherein among the steps, performing insequence the steps of etching to form the capillary structure; combiningthe first conductor plate and the second conductor plate; and formingthe reinforcing layer.
 11. The manufacturing method of the heattransferring module according to claim 9, wherein among the steps,performing in sequence the steps of etching to form the capillarystructure; forming the reinforcing layer; and combining the firstconductor plate and the second conductor plate.
 12. The manufacturingmethod of the heat transferring module according to claim 9, whereinamong the steps, performing in sequence the steps of forming thereinforcing layer; etching to form the capillary structure; andcombining the first conductor plate and the second conductor plate. 13.The manufacturing method of the heat transferring module according toclaim 9, wherein a material of the first insulating layer comprises atungsten-nickel alloy or a nickel-cobalt alloy.
 14. The manufacturingmethod of the heat transferring module according to claim 9, wherein themethod of forming the reinforcing layer on the outer surface of the atleast one of the first conductor plate and the second conductor platefurther comprises: forming the reinforcing layer on the outer surface ofthe at least one of the first conductor plate and the second conductorplate by means of electroplating.
 15. The manufacturing method of theheat transferring module according to claim 9, wherein the reinforcinglayer comprises a first reinforcing layer and a second reinforcinglayer, and the method of forming the reinforcing layer on the outersurface of the at least one of the first conductor plate and the secondconductor plate further comprises: forming the first reinforcing layeron the outer surface of the first conductor plate by means ofelectroplating; and forming the second reinforcing layer on the outersurface of the second conductor plate by means of electroplating. 16.The manufacturing method of the heat transferring module according toclaim 9, wherein the capillary structure comprises a first capillarystructure and a second capillary structure, and the method of etchingthe at least one of the first conductor plate and the second conductorplate to form the capillary structure further comprises: etching a partof the first conductor plate to form the first capillary structure; andetching a part of the second conductor plate to form the secondcapillary structure.